English Equivalencies - Category B
Category B applicants will generally be English as a second language (ESL) students who have not completed 2 years of full-time high school or post-secondary education in an English speaking country. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in all four language skills: reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Category A applicants should review BCIT's English Equivalencies - Category A.Be sure to check your program entrance requirements for the level of English required (e.g. English 12 C+).
6 options for Category B applicants:
- Option 1: BCIT International Student Entry Program (ISEP)
- Option 2: BCIT Professional English Language Development (PELD) Courses
- Option 3: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Option 4: International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Option 5: Combination of Assessments/Courses
- Option 6: Other Language Program/Course Options
Option 1: BCIT International Student Entry Program (ISEP)
| If your program requires: | You need this mark in ISEP: |
|---|---|
| English 12 B |
Level 6 – 70% Minimum in each course |
| English 12 C+ | Level 6 – 60% Minimum in each course |
| English 12 C | Level 6 – 50% Minimum in each course |
| English 12 C-/Pass | Level 5 – 65% Minimum in each course |
| English 11 B |
Level 5 – 50% Minimum in each course |
| If your program is: | You need this mark in ISEP: |
| Technology Entry (TE) | Level 5 – 50% Minimum in each course |
| Business Management Studies (BMS) | Level 4 – 50% Minimum in each course |
Option 2: BCIT Professional English Language Development (PELD) Courses
Please note: because PELD courses are part-time, they are not suitable for International applicants who require a study permit.
| If your program requires: | You need this mark in the COMM 0005 course or the COMM 0015 test: | And this mark in the COMM 0030 course or the COMM 0033 test: |
|---|---|---|
| English 12 B |
80% | 80% |
| English 12 C+ | 70% | 70% |
| English 12 C | 60% | 70% |
| English 12 C- or lower |
50% | 70% |
| If your program is: | You will need this course or test: | And this for speaking and listening: |
| Technology Entry (TE) |
COMM 0004 |
COMM 0029 (S grade) or COMM 0033 (60%) |
| Business Management Studies (BMS) |
COMM 0015 (with a COMM 0071 placement) |
Placement at COMM 0071 meets the speaking/listening requirement. |
Note: BCIT requires a minimum 70% speaking and listening skill level, regardless of the English 12 mark required. COMM 0033 test results are valid for 2 years. Students who completed COMM 0030 prior to 2012: A mark of 65% is accepted for entrance as equivalent to 70%.
TopOption 3: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
| If your program requires: | You need these scores on the TOEFL: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | Listening | Speaking | Reading | Writing | |
| English 12 B | 94 | 22 | 26 | 22 | 24 |
| English 12 C+ or lower |
91 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 23 |
| If your program is: | You need these scores on the TOEFL: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | Listening | Speaking | Reading | Writing | |
| Technology Entry (TE) |
80 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 19 |
| Business Management Studies (BMS) |
70 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 17 |
Note: There must be no more than two years between your test date and your BCIT program start date. TOEFL IBT (Internet-based test) scores are accepted by BCIT. TOEFL paper-based tests are not accepted.
TopOption 4: International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
Note: IELTS academic format test results are accepted by BCIT.
| If your program requires: | You need these scores on the IELTS: |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | Listening | Speaking | Reading | Writing | |
| English 12 B | 6.5 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| English 12 C+ or lower |
6.5 | Minimum score of 6 in any category | |||
| If your program is: | You need these scores on the IELTS: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | Listening | Speaking | Reading | Writing | |
| Technology Entry (TE) |
6.0 | Minimum score of 5.5 in any category | |||
| Business Management Studies (BMS) |
5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
Note: There must be no more than two years between your test date and your BCIT program start date.
TopOption 5: Combination of Assessments/Courses
Note: Refer to the tables above for English level requirements.
| If you satisfy the reading & writing requirements this way: | You may satisfy the speaking & listening requirements this way: |
|---|---|
| COMM 0015 test or COMM 0005 |
COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
| International Student Entry Program (ISEP) |
COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
| COMM 0015 or COMM 0005 |
ISEP |
| COMM 0015 or COMM 0005 or ISEP |
TOEFL / IELTS Speaking and Listening tests* |
| TOEFL / IELTS Reading and Writing | COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test or ISEP |
| English 12 course or equivalent | COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
| Eligible post-secondary English Composition or Communication course(s)** |
COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
| Language Proficiency Index (LPI)*** |
COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
| Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT)*** |
COMM 0030 course or COMM 0033 test |
*Please note that students may not combine scores from TOEFL and IELTS tests.
**Post-secondary English Composition or Applied Communication course(s) taken at other institutes may also qualify as an equivalent. Applicants can use the BCIT online Transfer Credit Guide to look up courses, or may contact Program Advising to determine whether a completed course will be an acceptable equivalent.
***See Category A for level equivalencies.
See English Requirement Equivalencies - Category A for additional information on meeting BCIT’s reading and writing requirements.
TopOption 6: Other Language Program/Course Options
| If your program requires: | The following course marks are acceptable from Vancouver Community College: |
|---|---|
| English 12 B | CPEN 0992 / 0995 / 0996 all with a B |
| English 12 C+ | CPEN 0992 / 0995 / 0996 all with a C+ |
| English 12 reading/writing |
CPEN 0995 + 0996 |
| English 12 speaking/listening |
CPEN 0992 |